Animal Bites: A First Aid Guide

Animal Bites are one of the primary causes of emergencies in any part of the world. These can be caused by animals ranging from Domestic pets to animals in our backyard and even wild animals when you go for Outdoor activities. Not all Bites are lethal, there is some course of action that can be taken by us before we rush to an emergency. Here are some simple cases and instructions of first aid before we rush to a Doctors office or emergency, when performed can cause relief to the patient.

1) Minor Scratches and Scrapes: If any animal, may be your Dog scratches with its nails and the wound is not deeper or you just see a drop or two of blood, Do not rush to the emergency for this if there is no danger of rabies( hoping domestic pets are treated for rabies) . Wash the area with cold water and soup solution. Use an antibiotic cream like Neosporin and cover with a clean bandage or leave it open to dry.

2) Deep cuts: If the animal has torn a piece of flesh and has caused a deep cut in your body. Do not wash the blood and wound, instead take a soft dry cotton cloth and press it on the cut to stop bleeding. Immediately, take the person to the Doctor. Excessive loss of blood can be dangerous.

3) Signs of Infection: If you see redness or swelling of the bitten area, oozing of fluids or excessive pain related to the bite, see the doctor immediately. This might need medical attention.

4) Rabies: If the animal is anything other than a Domestic pet or If bitten by a Domestic pet which was bitten by any other animal, seek immediate medical attention.

A tetanus injection may be needed if you did not have one recently, most cases need a booster for tetanus. Do not provoke animals by teasing them or causing any injury to them on purpose. Call the Pest Control if you see any Rats and raccoons , rodents and skunks in your yards. Do not neglect this when you have infants and little kids as they will not be able to convey it to you if they have been bitten. If the wound is severe, seek medical attention immediately. Do not let children scratch the bites and cover them up with clean gauze.